These incredibly easy red wine poached pears make a stunning dessert! I love them with whipped cream or ice cream. This is a good one!
The idea for these wine poached pears came from brainstorming easy but elegant dinner party desserts for a client we worked for (we used to create recipes for other businesses). We loved the idea for these poached pears so much that we earmarked the recipe for Inspired Taste instead. I’m happy we did, and I’m so excited for you to make this simple dessert.
I serve them very similarly to our baked pears, which are another fabulous dessert with pears. They work so well with a big spoonful of whipped cream, coconut whipped cream (yum!), or your favorite ice cream. You can make these pears in about 30 minutes, and they last in the fridge for up to 4 days, so these are an ideal make-ahead dessert for your next dinner party.
Key Ingredients
- Pears: I love Bosc or Bartlett pears for this poaching since the flesh is usually a bit more firm to the touch than other varieties. Any pear will work, but firmer ones will hold better in the poaching liquid.
- Wine: I’ve used a dry red wine to make the pears in our photos, but you can substitute a dry white wine if you’d prefer it. Whatever you use, make sure it is something you are happy to drink. For red wine, use wine varieties you’d use to make sangria like Rioja, as this holds up well to the spices in our poaching liquid, or use my favorite Pinot Noir. For white wine, use something dry and fruity like Sauvignon Blanc.
- Orange: I love some fresh orange juice squeezed into the poaching liquid. It adds some sweetness and floral notes.
- Honey: Adding to the orange floral notes, I love honey for this recipe. If you like, you can substitute agave nectar or maple syrup, but be mindful that the flavor of the poaching liquid will change.
- Spices: We combine a cinnamon stick, cloves, and a vanilla bean with the seeds scraped out and added to the poaching liquid. You can substitute vanilla extract for the vanilla bean if necessary (2 to 3 teaspoons).
Easy Wine Poached Pears
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PREP
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COOK
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TOTAL
These easy poached pears are stunning for dessert! I use red wine in my poaching liquid, but white wine will do, too. When choosing the wine for these pears, it does not need to be the best bottle but definitely choose something you would be happy drinking. I go for drier red wines like Rioja, Pinot Noir, or Merlot.
6 Servings
You Will Need
1 lemon, cut in half
3 firm pears like Bosc or Bartlett
1 cup water
1 (750ml) bottle dry red wine like Pinot Noir or Merlot
1 orange, quartered
1/2 cup honey or more to taste
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
1 vanilla bean, halved with seeds scraped out
2 cups homemade whipped cream
Directions
1Set aside a large saucepan that holds at least 3 quarts. Cut a circle of parchment paper that fits just inside the saucepan. Then, make a small hole in the middle of the parchment so that it looks like a donut. This is called a cartouche. You will place it on top of the poaching liquid later on to make sure that the pears stay submerged.
2Fill a bowl large enough to fit the pears with cold water. Squeeze the juice from 1 lemon into the water, ready for the pears.
3Peel the pears, and then cut them in half. Core them, then place them immediately into the bowl with lemon water to prevent browning.
4Combine the bottle of wine and 1 cup of water in the large saucepan. Squeeze the orange quarters over the pan, and then drop them in. Stir in 1/2 cup honey, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, and the vanilla bean with the seeds scraped out and added to the pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
5Transfer the pear halves to the poaching liquid, place the parchment paper round on top of the poaching liquid, then cook at a very low simmer, adjusting the heat as needed, until tender throughout, about 20 minutes. As they poach, occasionally push the pears down so that they are submerged in the liquid.
6Serve warm or chilled with a generous spoonful of whipped cream or ice cream.
Adam and Joanne’s Tips
- Storing: Store poached pears in the poaching liquid in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. As the pears sit in the liquid, they take on even more flavor, making this a great make-ahead dessert. When ready to serve, offer them chilled or warm them in a saucepan with some poaching liquid in a saucepan on the stove.
- Vanilla: Substitute the vanilla bean with 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
- Nutrition facts are estimates. They are likely too high as we included the poaching liquid in the calculations.
Nutrition Per Serving
Serving Size
1 poached pear half with whipped cream
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Calories
196
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Total Fat
4.6g
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Saturated Fat
2.8g
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Cholesterol
15.2mg
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Sodium
3.8mg
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Carbohydrate
38.6g
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Dietary Fiber
2.4g
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Total Sugars
33.3g
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Protein
1.1g
We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us →
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